Automatic laundry machine having article cooling means



Dec. 19, 1961 B. A. BUSS 3,01

AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING ARTICLE COOLING MEANS Filed Feb. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ben amin Alvin BUM ATTORNEYS 3,013,421 AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING ARTICLE COOLING MEANS Filed Feb. 15, 1957 B. A. BUSS Dec. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 801-102 QUE-F unit 2 INVENTOR. Ben amin Alvin 3046/ PM 9% f (94 7 tates Patent Ofiice 3,013,421 Patented Dec. 19, 196 1 3,013,421 AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING ARTHILE CQDLIN G MEANS Benjamin Alvin Buss, East Moline, Ilh, assignor to American Machine and Metals, Inn, East Moline, IlL, a corporation of Deiaware Filed Feb. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 640,519 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) This invention relates to Washing machines or the like, and particularly to means for introducing cold water into the machine immediately before the completion of the automatic wash cycle.

It has been found desirable in certain types of washing machines, such as those used to wash the filter bags in a brewery, to introduce cold water into the load being washed so as to reduce the temperature of the load before the completion of an automatic wash cycle. Filter bags are relatively heavy as compared with normal materials being washed and must be subjected to hot water for eflicient removal of the filtrant or filtered residue thereon. Thus, it is necessary to take special steps to reduce the temperature of the bags to a level where they can be manually handled and returned to the filter, this temperature being in the range of 70 F. Because of the variations in bags and the'number that may be washed at one time, it is not efiicient to use a preset timer to govern the length of the cold Water wash. If there are only a few bags in the load, a shorter time of cold water wash is required to bring the bags to the desired lower temperature than is the case with a load having a large number of bags. It is desirable to use the cold water wash to cool the bags and to subject the bags to the cold water wash until the predetermined or desired lower temperature is reached.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for use with washing machines having automatic wash cycles with control means which introduces water into the load at a predetermined interval during the cycle and then stops the operation of the control means until the temperature of the load reaches a desired predetermined point.

In one of its aspects, the invention is utilized in conjunction with a washing machine having a wash cycle including water introduction, agitation and finally water dumping. The invention comprises cycle timing means for controlling the operation of the machine through one complete wash cycle and means responsive to said cycle timing means for controlling the operation of the machine through one complete wash cycle. Means are provided for rendering the cycle timing means inoperative at a predetermined instant after the introduction of the water. Means are also provided for rendering the cycle timing means operative again when the temperature in the machine reaches a predetermined point so that the remainder of the wash cycle will be completed. In a preferred aspect this is when the temperature of the wash has reached a predetermined lower value.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view machine in which the invention FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram embodying the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the invention may be used in a washing machine of the type having a shell and a rotatable drum 11 mounted in the shell which of one type of washing may be used;

the cycle control shown cycle or in the cold rinse holds the load to be washed. Shell door 12 is provided to give access to the drum so that it may be loaded and unloaded.

A manual control, designated generally as 13, may have an On-Safe switch 14 which permits the machine to operate if at its On position. Controls 15 for inching so as to register the cylinder door with the shell door to facilitate loading and unloading of the machine may also be provided. Thermostat l6 regulates the temperature of the wash water and thermostat 17 determines the temperature of the load which must be reached before the second cycle timer, shown schematically as T-3 in FIG. 3, is reactivated, in a manner described later. Both of these thermostats may be set at a desired value prior to the starting of the machine. A thermometer 18 may also be provided for indicating the temperature of the load.

A cycle control, designated generally as 19, has a first cycle indicator 2t) and a second cycle indicator 21 for adjusting the time of each cycle of operation independently. These indicators may be graduated in minutes or in any other preferred time increments. A starting button 22 is provided for initiating the operation of the machine. Pilot lights 23 may be provided, if desired, for indicating whether the machine is running, whether the machine is in its first cycle, its second operation, or whether the wash cycle is completed. The arrangement of these pilot lights on the machine may be varied to provide easier visibility by the operator.

Operation The operator first makes his preliminary adjustments of thermostats l6 and 17 and cycle indicators 2d and 21. He then moves the On-Safe switch 14 to its On position and pushes starting button 22.

The pushing of button 22 initiates the automatic operation of the machine and causes the run and first cycle pilot lights to turn on. While operating through the first cycle, the machine will wash until approximately one minute remains on indicator 20, at which time a dump valve means 9 is opened and the water is drained from the machine. Immediately before indicator 20 reaches the Zero mark, the dump valve means will reclose.

The machine then automatically enters the second cycle, at which time the first cycle pilot light goes OE and the second cycle pilot light goes on.- The operation of the machine during the second cycle is similar to its operation during the first cycle except that when approximately one and one-half minutes remain on indicator 21, cold water only enters the machine and the cold rinse pilot light goes on. A short time thereafter the timer is stopped. The load, therefore, has a variable time to cool to the temperature to which thermostat 17 has been set, normally about 70 Fahrenheit. After this temperature has been reached, the timer will again run and the dump valve will be opened to drain the machine and complete the washing operation. At this time the first cycle pilot light, the second cycle pilot, and the cold rinse pilot light will be oif and the pilot light indicating the completion of the washing will be on. Once the operator has made the preliminary adjustments and pushed the started button, the operation of the washer is completely automatic.

Wiring circuit The wiring circuit shown chine.

After the operator finishes the preliminary operations as described above, he presses run button 22. As the run button is pressed, CR1 relay solenoid and pilot light 23a are energized and the circuit through CRl-a to the brake in FIG. 3 will now be described in relation to the operation of the washing ma- I relay B and timer motor T-l is closed. The machine starts and timer motor T-l will control the forward and reverse contactors F and R in the conventional manner. The circuit will also be completed through M55 and MSZ to energize the first cycle timer T-2 and the pilot light 23b. The pressing of button 22 also completes the circuit from line through CR2c (in its normally closed position), through M81 (which will now be closed to line 31), and through M83 to the Water thermostat 32 and the hot and cold water valves 33 and 34. Normally closed relay CRi-b will be opened so as to open the circuit to the pilot light and buzzers which indicate the completion of the washing operation.

The water will continue to enter the machine until approximately one minute before the end of the first wash cycle, at which point switch MSl will move to the position shown in FIG. 3 through the action of suitable means, such as a cam and cam roller. The movement of the switch operates to close the circuit to dump solenoid 35 which opens a dump valve and allows the water to flow from the machine. A few seconds before the zero position of timer T2, switch MSl returns to its first position, thereby again closing the dump valve. Immediately thereafter switch M82 will change its position so as to cut timer T-Z out of the operating circuit and divert the circuit through M54 to second cycle timer T-3 and second cycle pilot light 230.

Water will again enter the machine at a predetermined temperature until approximately one and one-half minutes remain in the second cycle. At this point M83 will change its position so as to let only cold water from cold water valve 34 into the machine. A few seconds later, M84 will change its position and stop timer T3 and prepare a circuit from cold thermostat 36 to CR2. At this time pilot light 23:! will operate. Cold water will continue to enter the machine until the cold Water thermostat connects lines 37 and 38 at which time the CR2 relay will be energized. The thermostat determines when the load is sufiiciently cool. The normally open contacts of CR2a will be closed so that the dump solenoid will be energized; the normally open contacts of CR2b will be closed so that the timer T3 will again run; and the normally closed contacts of CR2c will be opened so that no more water will enter the machine. Approximately one minute later the machine will be drained and M55 will break its contact, thereby tie-energizing CR1 and stopping the machine. At the same time, the circuit will be completed to pilot light 2312 and buzzers 39 and 40 to indicate to the operator that the washing operation of the machine is completed.

It is to be understood that details of construction can be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a washing machine wherein a complete wash cycle includes the introduction of water, agitation, and finally the dumping of the water, the combination comprising a cycle timer which controls the operation of the machine through a complete wash cycle, means responsive to said cycle timer for introducing cold water into the machine immediately before completion of the wash cycle, means rendering the cycle timer inoperative at a predetermined instant after the start of the cold water introduction, and adjustable temperatures responsive means for again rendering the cycle timer operative when the temperature in the machine reaches a. predetermined value determined by the setting of said adjustable temperature responsive means, so that the remainder of the Wash cycle will be completed.

2. In a washing machine wherein a complete wash cycle includes water introducing, agitating, and finally water dumping, the combination comprising a first cycle timer which controls the operation of the machine through one complete wash cycle, a second cycle timer which controls the operation of the machine through a second complete wash cycle, means rendering the second cycle timer operative after the completion of the first wash cycle, separate switch means responsive to said second cycle timer for introducing only cold water immediately before the second wash cycle is completed, means rendering the second cycle timer inoperative at a predetermined instant after the satrt of the introduction of the cold water, and adjustable temperature responsive means again rendering the second cycle timer operative when the temperature in the machine reaches a preselected value and the load is cooled so that the remainder of the wash cycle will be completed.

3. In a washing machine wherein a complete wash cycle includes the introduction of water, agitation, and finally the dumping of water, the combination comprising first cycle timing means for controlling the operation of the machine through one complete wash cycle, second cycle timing means for controlling the operation of the machine through a second complete Wash cycle, switch means for closing a first circuit to said second cycle timing means to render said second cycle timing means operative after the completion of the first wash cycle, cold water introducing means, switch means responsive to said second cycle timing means for actuating said cold water introducing means immediately before the completion of the second wash cycle, switch means which opens said first circuit to said second cycle timing means a predetermined instant after the actuation of said cold water introducing means so that the second cycle means stops operating and which prepares a second operating circuit for said second cycle timing means, adjustable thermostat means, and switch means actuated when the temperature in the machine reaches a value preselected by said adjustable thermostat means to close said second circuit to said second cycle timing means to again render it operative, so that the remainder of the wash cycle will be completed.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,054,990 Schwoerer Mar. 4, 1913 2,137,928 Tanqueray Nov. 22, 1938 2,193,495 Rolltern Mar. 12, 1940 2,328,073 lanney Aug. 31, 1943 2,553,581 Hatfield May 22, 1951 2,676,088 Bilde Apr. 20, 1954 2,750,777 Buss June 19, 1956 2,830,766 Algino Apr. 15, 1958 2,841,003 Conlee July 1, 1958 

